End-gate fastening for wagons.



H. A. BEALS.

END GATE FASTENING FOR WAGONS.v

APPLICATION FILED AUG,9. 1915,

Patent-ed Nov. 28, 1916.

HOMER A. BEALS., 0F FORT ATKINSON, WISCONSIN.

END-GATE FASTENING FOR WAGONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Application led August 9, 1915. I Serial No. 44,385.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, I-IoMER A. BEALs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Atkinson, county of Jefferson, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in End-Gate Fastenings for IVagons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in end gate fasteners for wagons. Y

The object of my invention is to provide simple, inexpensive and effective extensible means for securing end gates in wagon boxes, stock racks, etc.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the rear end portion of a wagon box to which my invention is applied. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters in both views.

A, A are the side walls of the wagon body which may consist of an ordinary box, a stock rack, or any other fo-rm of structure having side and end walls. B is an end gate therefor. The ends of the gate B are loosely engaged between cleats C, C, secured to the side walls in the ordinary manner. An eye bolt D extends through the side wall A', the

eye Z projecting inwardly and a nut E being employed to secure the eye bolt in position and bearing upon the exterior face of the side wall A adjacent to the end thereof. An open link F is loosely engaged in the eye Z and a locking lever G is pivotally secured at g to the inner end of this link. A locking member H is formed of a strip of metal having its ends bent around the respective side bars of the links and loosely engaging said bars so that it may slide longitudinally along said link to any desired position of adjustment and may engage the end portion g of the lever when such portion of the lever is swung to a position between the sides of said link.

An eye bolt D, similar to the eye bolt D, is similarly secured by a nut E to the side wall A of the bo-x or rack. A link F similar in construction to the link F is engaged in the eye d of the bolt D and the two links F, F are of such length that the lever G may be swung through the link F to engage the latter in any one of a series of notches J formed in the lever G. These notches are slightly inclined to-ward the pivoted end of the lever. When the link F is engaged in the proper notch J, lever G may be swung to a position where its outer end portion g passes between the sides of the linkF, whereupon the locking member I-I may be moved acrossl the extremity of said lever to hold it in such position. The extremity of the lever is provided with a slight projection g which is adapted to prevent the locking member H from sliding outwardly toward the. side A of the box to a releasing position. When the link F is engaged in the proper notch J and the lever locked in holding position as above described, the side walls A, A will be drawn inwardly against the ends of the end gate B or into such close proximity to the ends of the end gate that they will be securely held by the cleats C.

It will be observed that my device is adaptable for use in connection with end gates which differ somewhat in length or for boxes or racks which differ in width, since by providing lever G with a series of notches J, the fastening may be extended or shortened to suit the requirements. The nuts E permit additional adjustment either for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the fastening or for the purpose of securing a more exact adjustment than can be secured by means of the lever notches alone. It will also be observed that the notched portion of the lever is slightly offset from the respective end portions. This allows the links F and F to overlap, as shown in Fig. 2, without interfering with the movement of the portion g of the lever into'the link F to a position where its extremity may be engaged by the locking clip I-I.

I claim* 1. The combination with the side walls of a wagon body, of a set of links each connect-v ed with one of said walls, a lever pivotally connected with one of said links and adapted to swing through the other link. said lever having a series of notches in any one of which the end of said other link may engage, and a free end portion offset in a position to swing through the link to which it is pivoted when the lever is in clamping position at maximum pressure, and a sliding holding member connected with the link to which .the lever is pivoted and adapted to engage one side of the oset portion of the lever when the lever is swung to a position substantially parallel with the links, the extremity of said lever having a projection to engage the holding member and prevent it from slipping away from said oifset portion.

lilo' 2. An end gate fastening for wagons comprising a pair of end members adapted to adjnstably engage the side Walls of a Wagon body, a link pivotally secured to each of said end members, a lever pi'voted to one of the links and adapted to swing through both of the linksv said lever havingva series of notches in which one of the links may engage, a lever engaging slide mounted on the link to which the lever is pivoted, and a projection. on the free end of said lever and on the side thereof opposite said notches, said projec- HOMER A. BEALS.

lVitnesses:

L. B. CAsWnLL, Jr., -T-.VILL E. MACK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

